War Torn
by Death'sAngel18
Summary: Alternate sixth year fic. Draco has come into a powerful magical inheritance and has gained the attention of Voldemort. He flees from the Manor and from the Dark Lord only to end up at Grimmauld Place, the only safe place for him, with Harry Potter, hiding for their lives as the Dark Lord searches for them both. Veela fic with some twists. Slash HP/DM Warnings inside
1. Chapter 1

**War Torn**

**_Author Note: So, this is my first fic in a while. I'm a little rusty but hopefully you'll enjoy it and if you do please send me some feedback, maybe some criticism in a polite form? _  
**

**_Future warnings for this story will include slash, male on male sex, it could contain slight molestation to a minor, swearing, and violence. I'll warn you if anything else comes up.  
_**

**Chapter One  
**

_Drip. Drip. Drip. _The sound of liquid steadily hitting the stone floor of the Malfoy's Manor dining room echoed in Severus' ears. He wanted to believe childishly it was just water, there had been a storm recently rolling through the region as summer storms do. Though Severus knew that steady drip was not water, but blood. Blood from the many prisoners the Dark Lord had acquired over time falling around the room. Sometimes a drop would land on a Death Eater, seated at the long wooden table. They would flinch, bite their tongue, press their lips together, and try to stay calm because it was a popular rumor that Voldemort could smell fear with his serpentine nostrils.

Voldemort of course sat at the head of the table, long spindly fingers pressed together in a steeple as he observed the man walking towards him in his long billowing robes.

"Ah, Severus, what news do you bring me?" Voldemort questioned making a motion with those long fingers to a chair nearby.

"Harry Potter resides with his blood relatives, protected from us. There have been no plans made to move him," Severus recited his carefully thought out speech as he did every meeting. He would meet with Albus beforehand and they would work out what he would say and what he would leave out. Harry Potter was in fact residing with the Dursley's but in one month time it was planned that he would be moved to Grimmuald Place as the Dursley's were leaving on some holiday vacation and the wards that protected Harry would be no use if the Dursley's weren't there.

Voldemort nodded deeply accepting Severus' words as truth and closed his eyes for a moment. Those bright red eyes always made Severus uneasy, often his dreams were haunted by them. But his dreams were almost always haunted by eyes, whether they be murderous red or the sweet green that Lily Evan's were.

"Lucius, tell me of young Draco's inheritance," Voldemort ordered snapping his eyes open to stare down at the blonde man. It had taken quite a bit of effort to break him free of Azkaban after his capture of at the Department of Mysteries but it would all be worth it if this plan came to fruition. Draco's sixteenth birthday was this very night and he should be showing signs on whether or not he would inherit the ancient magical blood that coursed through the Malfoy line. If so the Malfoy's proved to be very promising. If not...

There would be no way to tell if he would come into his inheritance or not and what it would exactly be. Magical inheritances had a tendency to skip generations, it had skipped over Lucius. But the Malfoy's were praying to ever god they had heard of that Draco would inherit something useful as to please their Lord.

"He hasn't shown any signs of yet, but it is still early. He didn't come into this world until ten thirty, only then will we see," Lucius replied in what he wanted to sound as a confident, strong voice but came out with a slight pleading tone holding a tremor.

"Very well, dismissed," Voldemort announced and with a screech of chairs and the whispers of cloaks hurrying along the ground the room was empty.

Four stories above in the Malfoy Manor in young Draco's bedroom he had just started feeling that discomforting feeling of magic spreading throughout his body, itching and burning. He gasped lowly as he felt something he only had ever touched briefly before. He felt power.

XXX

_One Month Later_

"Thank Merlin," were Harry's only words as soon as he saw the Order members apparate into his bedroom even though he felt slightly annoyed by the invasion of his privacy. He had been at his miserable relatives for a whole month and he could feel his patience about to snap. A frown was pulled taut over his face as he grabbed his already packed trunk. He had been looking forward to this escape for the entire month.

You see after facing a Dark Lord and surviving in the Department of Mysteries it puts things in perspective, especially for Harry. For pushed around and bullied Harry. He no longer took orders from the Dursley's. He didn't cook, except for himself, he didn't clean, except for his own messes which we minimal unlike Dudley's, and he certainly did not complete a mile long list of ridiculous chores every day in the boiling heat. At first his relatives had a hard time understanding this. They screamed, the shouted, they shrieked, and they raved until they were multicolored in the face and Harry wondered if Vernon's blood vessel would finally pop. Eventually they left him alone, they didn't know how to deal with Harry right then. They had always gotten around by making him fear them with verbal abuse. But once you faced the Dark Lord you find it fairly hard to be intimidated by three muggles.

Even though they hadn't been pushing him around all summer Harry still found his patience dwindling for them. He couldn't wait to be rid of them, though that would take a whole other year when he turned seventeen and became a legal adult.

"Thank Moody," the older, limping madman muttered as he grabbed the trunk from Potter shrinking it and shoving it into his pocket for safekeeping.

"And Tonks, thank Tonks," Tonks perked up going over to Harry to give him a proper hug.

"'Ello Harry," Remus murmured softly looking at the young teen. They were both still torn in grief from Sirius's death and it clearly showed in their eyes.

Harry beamed at his rescue team in a maniacal sort of a way. "To the Burrow?" Harry questioned hopefully.

"Sorry cub," Remus replied heavily. "I'm sure they would have told you, but you can't really receive letters here safely. The Weasely clan is up in Romania, Charlie's getting married. Though I do have a surprise for you once we get to our destination," Harry's hopes dropped, his mouth tugged into a pout and then dread settled in his stomach. There was only one place left to go.

"Sirius's house then," he replied glumly, his heart aching at the thought of setting foot in his godfather's empty childhood home. Remus nodded along sympathetically.

"They would have invited you, but it's just not safe 'Arry. You-Know-Who has factions everywhere on the look out for you," Tonks told Harry with a sad smile as she patted him on the shoulder in an awkward sort of way. She wasn't big on the comfort.

"Enough dawdling, the Death Eaters could be arriving any moment. Side apparition Potter, grab on," Moody growled and grabbed Harry's arm before he could even move and with a pop they were gone.

Seconds later Harry was gasping for breath on the steps of Grimmauld Place.

"Don't stand there heaving Potter. Constant vigilance!" Moody barked clapping Harry on the back as they moved inside.

"Gee thanks," Harry choked trying to bring the air back into his lungs as he stumbled in after them.

As usual, dust covered everything in the dimly lit hallway of Grimmauld Place. The place smelled musty and everything looked menacing. Harry hurried through the hallway into the kitchen which was only half decent. The lights penetrated most of the shadows but did nothing for the dust.

"Yes, the place has seemed to let itself go. Kreacher won't listen to any of us. But, Sirius, he left you this house so Kreacher should listen to you, help you fix the place up..." Remus trailed off looking around at the grim looking place. Suddenly there was a high pitched squeal and Harry was tackled by a mass of bushy brown hair.  
"Hermione!" Harry shouted, the first spot of happiness blooming inside of him as he hugged his armful of best friend. "You're here!"

"Oh, Harry, I've missed you. How are you doing? You don't look like you've been sleeping well," Hermione rattled off leaning back to give Harry a good look over.

"Hermione, slow down, you need to breathe," Harry joked letting go of the excited girl. He looked behind her, hoping Ron was there but the space was empty.

"He's at the wedding, but he'll be here in two days," Hermione promised him with a sad look and then perked up. "Just you, me, and Remus for now."

"You're staying here?" Harry asked hopefully to Remus. He had missed his old Professor.

Remus looked uncomfortable at the attention. "Uh, well yes, can't leave you all alone. Who knows what sort of mischief you'll get up to. Though I'll be gone a lot, you know my mission for the Order, tracking down other werewolves and bringing them to the Light side..." he trailed off.

"I'm glad you'll be here," Harry told the man with a smile and was pleased when Remus smiled back though it did not quite reach all the way through to his eyes.

"Me too cub," Remus answered with a soft smile.

"Well, if you're all done hugging," Moody grumbled showing clearly what he thought of hugging. "We best be off. Remember you two, constant vigilance!" he announced and with that and wave from Tonks they were off.  
"They'll be back often, Order members will be sweeping through here most of the day and some of the night," Remus offered looking down at his two charges.

"Harry, you look starved, I made soup, come eat," Hermione announced pulling the skinny boy to the table.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasely," Harry teased as feeding him was the first thing the mother hen of the Weasely clan had always done whenever she saw Harry. Hermione though took it another way, a blush spreading across her cheeks at the thought of the title.

"Bugger off," she mumbled grinning like a fool.

XXX

_Meanwhile..._

The sound of footsteps slamming into the ground shattering the seemingly still night jarred Draco out of his shocked state. He was escaping. He was leaving. He just had to make it to the edge of the wards of the Malfoy Manor and he could apparate away. He had just a little farther. Anxiety bubbled in his chest. For a month since his magical inheritance he had been a prisoner in his own home, a toy to the cruel Dark Lord. He had been his pet. Draco scowled at the night, willing the haunting manor behind him to just vanish, explode maybe. He hated every inch of his childhood home now that those horrifying memories had been painted on the walls. He hated everyone within. Even his own family. His flesh and blood who had turned their backs and averted their eyes when the Dark Lord requested him, when the Dark Lord used him. They had sold their only son to a raving lunatic.

"Boy," someone screamed behind him, he didn't turn around. The Death Eaters had been alerted of his escape. Could he make it? He was so close, but they had wands and he didn't. His first day with the Dark Lord had been watching the cruel serpentine man break his own wand into tiny pieces and thrown them into the fire, forcing the blonde teen to watch them burn. Not that he really needed a wand now with the powers he possessed, the powers he inherited. But still, it had been an anchor to his childhood, a comfort, a memory of warmer days. Now he was cold and there was a weightlessness to his pocket where he usually stored the piece of wood, this weightlessness disturbed him.

"Draco!" he heard his father's voice bellow behind him, straining with the effort to reach his son's ears. "Draco, please!" his father begged. If Draco left, Lucius and Narcissa paid no more purpose to the Dark Lord. What use were they now? Draco kept running. Hate bubbled inside his chest along with a childish urge to turn back, run into his mother's arms. They were his parents. His cold, cruel, malice parents that chose and unforgiving lord over their son. They chose their fate the moment they had that monstrosity tattooed on their arm. They knew from the moment he was born he would belong to the Dark Lord one day, magical inheritance or not, and still they raised him to be the perfect little weapon. The perfect little pet.

Draco's insides burned with disgust, with rage, and they churned with a sharp sort of pain. How could they do this to him? They were his parents! His own parents. His father had never shown much affection to him, that was the Malfoy way, but Draco always believed his father loved him. Had that all been a lie? His mother, regretting her and Lucius' actions held the remorse in her eyes, still though she turned her back when they came to take Draco away from his old life to become the Dark Lord's little pet. She had said nothing, lips pressed together in a thin line. She hadn't even looked at him one last time. Draco had been pleading, begging, he was ashamed to admit even crying at one point but still she would not turn to meet his gaze. He was invisible to her, she had already forgotten him.

With a harsh gasp he broke through the wards, the feeling of the magic slipping over him and then gone. He turned around at last to see a crowd chasing him. A group of Death Eaters and his parents running after him, to catch the escaped pet, Draco thought with malice. Without a second thought he turned on the spot and apparated away to the only place he knew was safe, Severus.

He landed a block away from Severus's house, not wanting his path to trace right back to Sev's doors. Scattering his magic signature about the wind, he used these new inherited powers to hide any evidence of him arriving here and then swiftly made his way to Sev's house. The door opened after several heavy knocks, Severus glaring down at the intruder until he took the shaken blonde boy in front of him.

"Draco," he grabbed the boy and thrust him inside quickly locking the door behind them. "What are you doing here?" Severus asked hurriedly, his eyes searching for damage along the boy. "I have been worried. I've been writing to Lucius, even coming to the Manor to speak with you, he said you were away."

"Sev," Draco mumbled, the inquisition was only making him more exhausted. "I'm in trouble, they're coming after me. Will you help me?" Draco got right down to the point, peering up at his godfather. He had always suspected his godfather's allegiance lie outside of both forces of this war. He was very secretive about what he believed, but the man seemed to neither be on the Light side or the Dark side, though he insisted he was on both. He was the only one Draco could trust. The only without an agenda.

Severus seemed to notice a change about Draco. Realization came into his eyes. "You came into your magic inheritance, didn't you," Severus asked urgently earning a small, feeble nod from Draco. "It was something, something that the Dark Lord found useful and you escaped," Severus guessed, earning another nod and a relieved sigh from the worn teenager.

So his godfather hadn't known about his inheritance, he hadn't been waiting like his parents to give him away to the highest bidder or in this case the cruelest and most powerful bidder. Severus opened his mouth to ask another question, he was probably wondering what Draco was that made the Dark Lord so interested but second guessed himself.

"We will talk more later, now is a time for action. I will have to take you somewhere safe, this place is unsafe. They will come to me, assuming you had asked me for help. Come Draco, you won't like the place you'll be staying but you'll be safe," Severus pulled Draco to the fireplace and lit it with green flames, pulling the teen in with him as he shouted an unknown name, something like Grimmly Place? Draco assumed it was this safe house Severus had been referring to. A flash of green later he stumbled through a fireplace and landed on the stone floor. No matter how many times he floo travel he never got the landing right.

"Malfoy?" came a familiar and very confused voice. Oh Merlin, he knew that voice. Harry bloody Potter.


	2. Chapter 2

**War Torn  
**

**Author's Note: Wooh! Second chapter, thanks for all the support! Hope you guys like. When I first started this fic I wanted a real sassy, bratty, but cute Draco. He hasn't really turn out that way so I don't know, maybe it'll develop later? Hope you guys like it, please review and offer some helpful criticism or just general encouragement, it really helps!  
**

**Chapter Two  
**

**Previous: **_"Malfoy?" came a familiar and very confused voice. Oh Merlin, he knew that voice. Harry bleeding Potter._

"Yes, Potter, now are you going to gape like a fish or are you going to help me up?" Draco snapped, quite irritated Severus hadn't told him who exactly he would be sharing the safe house with. Now of course it was obvious. The only person who was wanted by the Dark Lord so badly that he needed his own safe house. The Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Bloody-Die.

Harry of course just kept staring because it's not everyday your school rival burst through your fireplace and landed at your feet with a scowling Potions professor behind him. Draco huffed as he got himself up from the floor, brushing the dust of himself, all the while glaring at Harry. "Thanks," Draco snarled sarcastically.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Harry finally asked, gaining his voice and now his anger. He wasn't going to be pushed around in his own house by Malfoy.

"Mr. Potter, control yourself," Snape snapped. "Fetch Lupin, now," he ordered without directing the command to one person. Harry stayed glued to the spot so Hermione rushed to complete her teacher's task. Even if they weren't at Hogwarts Hermione believed a Professor deserved respect and for their orders to be followed. Minutes later they came rumbling down the stairs, Lupin rushing into the room.

"Severus, what is it?" Lupin asked obviously worried.

"Draco needs protection from the Dark Lord," Severus answered bluntly looking down at the young blonde. All the while Harry's eyes hadn't strayed from the blonde. His skin looked paler then usually. Harry noted as he was standing his legs seemed to be shaking a little and his hands were trembling slightly but Harry couldn't tell what it was from. Malfoy didn't look scared or nervous, he look exhausted though. He had dark bruises around his eyes like he hadn't slept for a whole month. He looked disheveled too.

In all the years Harry had known Malfoy he had seen the blonde boy always looking perfect. Hair just the way he wanted, perfect fashion sense. Never rumpled or disheveled looking like other boys might look, even in the morning. But right now, he looked shaken. His clothes weren't perfect, his boots were muddy. He just didn't look like himself. This confused Harry.

"What happened?" Remus asked urgently looking down at the blonde teenager who looked on the brink of collapsing. "Draco, please, sit. Would you like some tea?" Remus asked politely, shepherding them all over to the kitchen table.

"No, thank you," Draco breathed out with a sigh sitting down at the table slowly, grimacing slightly at some unknown pain.

Remus looked at the boy again. "Are you sure? Hermione makes a very soothing tea," he offered again making it clear he thought Draco would need the soothing tea.

Draco opened his mouth to decline again, this time with more of a bite when he saw the genuine concern in the man's eyes. This touched him slightly, he barely knew the man. Sure, he had been his professor but Draco hadn't been friendly to him in the least, sneering at his worn clothes.

"Alright, thank you," he agreed, resting his palms flat out on the table feeling the scratches beneath his finger that the table had acquired through years of use.

"Potter, Granger, surely there's somewhere else where you are needed," Snape sneered at the two teenagers like they were unwelcome, which of course they were to the bat like man.

Harry glared back defiantly. "This is my house, sir," he added the 'sir' with a biting tone. "I should know why I'm supposed to offer Malfoy protection under my own roof, don't you think?" he added with a bit more cheek.

"Watch it Potter," Snape snarled, eyes flashing dangerously. He looked like he was about to protest again turning to Hermione when Draco intervened.

"It's fine Sev, I don't mind. I'm sure they'll bound to find out eventually. Like Potter said, it is his house," he reasoned tiredly as he was handed a cup of tea from Remus. "Alright, story time, gather around kiddies," he muttered sarcastically obviously struggling to figure out how he wanted to start. Snape obviously noticing his godson's discomfort and indecision on how to start decided to help him out.

"Start with your inheritance," he ordered with a soft tone.

"Went through my inheritance when I turned sixteen. Great stuff, didn't sleep all night. Came out a Veela." Draco announced, not meeting anyone's eyes as he stared at the old table rubbing his finger over a well worn scratch.

"A Veela! Male veelas are very rare! They're supposed to be super powerful, I read once-" Hermione started to ramble but was cut off by a harsh glance from Snape. "Sorry," she squeaked meekly.

"Yeah, snake face thought so too," Draco muttered darkly gripping his cup of tea, relishing in the warmth brought.

"He was interested in your inheritance?" Remus asked with a thoughtful expression.

Draco nodded. "My parents told him I was coming into my inheritance soon. They were hoping I would turn into something useful so they could get back in his good graces. They lucked out. The next day he summoned me," Draco explained still staring down at the old table.

"Where did he summon you?" Remus asked.

Draco winced. "His quarters, in Malfoy Manor. He had been residing in our home, since his return," he admitted not sure how this would go over with everyone, except Severus of course who already knew. Remus nodded knowingly but Potter looked outraged.

"You knew where he was and you didn't say anything?" he demanded in a self righteous way.

Draco sneered up at Potter. "What would I have said Potter. Hey, You-Know-Who's bunking with me, what do I do? Aurors would have come and raided our manor. My parents would be sentenced to life in Azkaban and for what? He would have just gotten away, and killed a bunch of aurors in the process. What good would that have done?" Draco's voice rose throughout his speech, glaring daggers at Potter, his nails digging into the old wood of the table.

Potter frowned and looked away, seeming to except this as truth but that didn't mean he have to like it.

"It's okay Draco, we understand," Remus told Draco softly, looking down at the young blonde teen who's shoulders had tightened with tension. "Go on," he encouraged.

Draco exhaled slowly, clutching the now cooling mug of tea and took a sip. "He summoned me. He wanted to know what I was and what it entailed. He told me to demonstrate my powers. I had no idea how. It was the morning after my inheritance, I hadn't even researched Veela powers before. There was such a small chance I would inherit the ancient Veela blood from my family line. I thought I would know, before, that I was going to change like this. I didn't expect-" Draco cut off his tangent becoming more and more frustrated. He hadn't wanted this, he was just fine with who he was before. Now he was some creature with these unbelievable powers, the object of a mad man's desire. He took a breath and went on.

"So, anyway, he got a little ticked when I just stared at him like 'what you want me to grow wings and fly about the room?' So he gave me a little incentive, started with the Cruciatus until I could do something interesting. Didn't turn out in his favor though," Draco looked up for the first time to see anger burning in his godfather's eyes. Anger at the Dark Lord for torturing him or anger at his parents for putting him in that situation? Draco didn't know. Maybe both.

He took a chance and looked at the others. Potter looked mildly uncomfortable. Draco had heard he had too been a victim of the Dark Lord's Cruciatus curse in their fourth year when he returned. It wasn't the most pleasant feeling. Granger looked horrified and Draco smirked. If only she knew how familiar Draco was to the Cruciatus by know. Especially since Bellatrix had returned from her stint in Azkaban. Not to mention in the past when dear Auntie Bellatrix taught him Occlumency and had used the Cruciatus as a teaching method. Draco wasn't a stranger to pain.

"What happened?" Remus asked curious. Draco had said the Cruciatus hadn't turned in Voldemort's favor.

"My powers," Draco smiled grimly. "They emerged and attacked him. He was ecstatic about the amount of the power, but not so pleased it was directed at him," Draco retold wincing slightly at the memory. He was leaving out the more gory details. Voldemort had tortured him for hours after that stunt. The Cruciatus was bad, but there was a vast array of Dark curses that cause pain in many different ways and Draco had been introduced to most of them for the better part of a day. He had woke up on the ground the next day in a pool of his own blood, but not a scratch on his body. His new found powers had healed every single wound and not a scar left to tell of that terrible day.

"What were your powers?" Severus asked, his voice hoarse.

Draco grimaced. "I'm not exactly sure. I passed out, I don't even remember attacking Him. He didn't look good though and the room was burnt looking. I can do all magic without a wand and without a spell. I just have to want it. I can do things with fire, earth, water, and air. He called it elemental magic. I didn't really understand it, I still don't. I just found out I can sort of control people..." he trailed off looking uncomfortable. "I don't know what happened. I just looked at this Death Eater and I told him I was leaving and he just nodded. It was weird, but I knew I was using my powers. I could feel it and I think so could he because he looked scared, he looked terrified," Draco recalled remembering the look of pure terror in that man's eyes as Draco told him he was leaving the Manor and never returning.

"I'm stronger now, He tested my physical strength, I guess I'm faster. I can heal myself, my skin just knits itself back together in seconds. That's pretty much all I know," Draco finished feeling emotionally drained. Explaining all this drudged up all the memories of the past month.

"Do you know exactly what You-Know-Who wanted from you?" Remus asked a bit hesitantly, he didn't want to push the boy too far.

Draco looked back with a haunted feeling. "A weapon. He wanted me as weapon to win the war for him. He wanted me to kill Potter and Dumbeldore in the next school year," Draco looked directly at Harry in a calm sort of way but underneath he was shaking with nerves. This was the make or break of this situation. Would Potter throw him out now that he knew for the last month he was being trained and expected to kill Potter and his beloved Dumbeldore?

Silence rang through the kitchen and it hung down on Draco like a heavy blanket. He just wanted someone to say something, anything. Finally the werewolf broke the silence.

"Well, you're here now. That's all that matters. But, Draco, where exactly do you stand now, in the war that is," Remus asked delicately, trying to understand the blonde boy better. Was he friend or a foe? For the Order or against? Did he still hold true to all the beliefs that came with the Malfoy's or had he forsaken those?

Draco thought carefully about his words. He had been raised in a very specific way. He had been raised and told he was better then everyone else. He thought it was true and came into the world with that attitude, which of course turned many people off from him. Throughout his years at Hogwarts and out of his parents careful ministrations he understood things better. He wasn't better then everyone else, he had been told he was. Just because someone told you that you were better then everyone else didn't make it true. Draco understood that. He understood that people fabricated beliefs like that. Whether they truly believed it or they wanted everyone else to believe it depended on them.

He had been raised and taught that muggles were slime on the bottom of his shoe. Ants on a sidewalk. They were nothing and they were dangerous. If they ever learned of his world they would take it for their greedy selves, corrupt it, and eventually ruin it. That's when he had been exposed to the hatred of mudbloods. He had always been taught that kids that were magical but had no magical parents were mudbloods who were unclean, impure, and would destroy their world and everything they had all worked for. He hadn't even know other people called them something different, something less vulgar. He figured mudblood was the term that everyone used to describe these anomalies.

Only through his first detention using the word in front of a teacher did he realize it was a curse word in standards by most people and not to be used in public. Though he had been taught something completely different. Who to believe, strangers or his parents?

He couldn't remember the first time he heard of the Dark Lord. He had always remembered going to bed hearing of the great Dark Lord who was going to save the wizarding race and purge the bad blood that threatened their great society. His first image of the Dark Lord had been a heroic savoir who was the warrior of the purebloods.

Older, wiser, and jaded Draco now knew the Dark Lord was nothing of the sort. He's a psychotic man with a dream that may have once been for a noble cause but has morphed into something unrecognizable by even his most loyal followers. He's a sadist with a serious kink for pain. He's a madman with blood red eyes, the color of his twisted soul.

Hate twisted in Draco's gut, bubbling there and rising up his throat as Draco remembered every horrible memory of the past month. Every memory he wanted to forget, some more than others. Draco shuddered, pushing those memories into the back of his mind. There would be time to deal with them later. Not here, and not now though.

"I hate him. I want him gone. I want him dead," Draco answered finally looking up at his old professor and he saw sympathy and an equal load of pity that Draco hadn't asked for.

"Even if it means sacrificing everything. Turning your back on your...beliefs," Remus said slightly uncomfortable, not sure how to handle this particular situation. Everyone was watching Draco closely.

Again he searched for his answer. He didn't want the right answer, he wanted the honest answer. "I haven't believed what my father told me since I was thirteen. My beliefs are not affiliated with my parents," Draco answered looking at Remus and saw acceptance there, a slight smile turned up the werewolf's lips. "I'll do whatever it takes to see Him gone," he added looking around at the others, maybe for the same acceptance he saw in Remus.

Severus of course gave him a small proud smile, a huge thing for a Slytherin like Sev who doesn't tend to show emotions, especially in front of others. Granger looked understanding, maybe not accepting, but understanding. Draco met Potter's eyes last and for good reasons too. He was met with a storm of emotions in those killing curse green eyes that he could barely decipher.

There was some understanding, like Granger's, but only a fraction. There was confusion, surprise, and of course shock. Then there was mistrust, of course that had should have been obvious considering their past. Draco had not been the friendliest of boys to Potter, but Merlin the raven haired boy just annoyed him. He got under his skin and the next thing you know Draco was in his face insulting him.

Remus yawned tiredly. "Alright, I think that's enough for tonight. Draco you can stay here but understand you'll have to follow our rules and be respectful," Remus pinned him with gaze and Draco winced glancing at Granger who looked a little smug. Not that she didn't deserve it of course.

"I will," Draco promised solemnly.

Remus grinned. "Good, good. It's late, we could all use some sleep. Severus, I assume you'll return back to Spinners End," Remus questioned raising an eyebrow at the Potions master. Snape shot a glance at Draco as if asking if he was going to be alright to stay here. Although that look was only really clear to Draco and Remus as they shared a past with the seemingly stoic man and could tell in his seemingly blank expressions that emotions hovered beneath.

"Draco will be safe, thank you for bringing him here Severus. I will protect your godson, no harm will come to him on my watch," Remus promised reassuring the potions professor. With a curt nod and sweep of his billowing robes he stepped into the fireplace and flooed back to Spinners End.

Remus turned back to the three teenagers all of who were regarding each other with wary glances. "Alright, so bad news. There are only three rooms ready. One for me, one for Hermione, and one for Harry. Obviously you can't be rooming with Hermione as that would inappropriate so the only other option is Harry." Remus held up his hands before the onslaught of protests began.

"I know you two aren't exactly friends, actually you're pretty far from that I hear. Minerva has recounted the tales of your epic fights and the detentions that have resulted," Remus told them with a little smile. "But your both in this together now, pitted against a common enemy. Let's all try to get along, yeah?"

Silence was met with Remus's speech. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, rip each others hair out, just don't get blood all over the house. Draco, I presume you haven't brought a trunk or anything along with you due to your escape?" Remus questioned.

Draco nodded, his escape had been a spur of moment snap decision and he had left all his clothes and worldly possessions back at the Manor. Who knows what would become of them now?

"Harry will lend you some clothes for the meanwhile. We can go shopping later," Remus announced and clapped his hands together. "Alright off to bed," he shooed them upstairs and with that the three teenagers headed upstairs in an awkward silence. Draco wondered how he had possibly gotten here. Yesterday he was at the Manor, albeit he wasn't exactly happy, being tortured by a madman, and now he was here with Potter and Granger about to go sleep in the same room as Potter. What else did Fate have in store for him?


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long guys, don't give up on me yet. This chapters refers to molestation and rape of a minor, though it is not graphic. Please review!**_

**Chapter Three**

"_Draco," a male voice crooned in a leering tone. Draco felt spidery long fingers drift across his exposed flesh. Goosebumps were left in those hands wake, they were cold, inhumanly cold."Draco," the voice called again and suddenly those hands that seemed so gentle, if not uncomfortable, became harsh as they gripped down on his skin in a bruising touch. "Submit to me Draco," he commanded and just like that Draco was pinned under a cold body, being held down and pain burned through his body, deep within him._

_There was a roaring in Draco's ears and it took him a while to realize he was screaming, that he was crying, and thrashing about trying to escape. Magic tried to force it way out of the heavy bind that the Dark Lord had placed on him. It tunneled through his skin, burning to be released. Draco screamed again, mixed with the pain coming from the man above him and the pain from within as his magic tore at his insides._

"_Malfoy!" This was a different voice now, someone else, but Draco couldn't concentrate on them now. He was to preoccupied trying to escape from the iron like grip of the creature above him who was holding him down as he forced himself on the young blonde teenager. _

"_Malfoy!" It was Potter's voice, Draco couldn't fathom why Potter would be in the Manor. Draco panicked, not wanting Potter to see this. _

"Draco!" Harry's voice jarred Draco from the nightmare he has been entangled in. Draco bolted up, gasping for air. He was covered in a layer of sweat, shivering like it was snowing inside the room. It took him a while to realize where he was. At first he panicked, trying to bolt from the bed, thinking for a moment the figure in front of him, sitting next to him on the bed was the Dark Lord.

"It's me, it's Harry, or Potter. Malfoy, calm down," Harry spoke softly but with a determined edge to his voice as he took a hold of Draco's shaking shoulders.

That snapped Draco back to reality and the next thing he knew there was a loud bang and Potter was on the other side of the room groaning in pain as he had just been thrown into a wall.

"Fuck, Potter, I'm sorry," Draco got up, regret burning through him. Would Potter throw him out of the house, would Draco have to fend for himself against the Dark Lord now that he assaulted Potter?

"No, it's fine. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Harry said with a grimace as he got himself up from the wall. "Are you alright?" he asked Draco, rubbing the back of his head that had smacked into the wall extremely hard.

Of course Potter would ask if Draco was alright after Draco has just thrown him into a fucking wall. "Fine," Draco muttered suddenly feeling self conscious. He had never had a problem with nightmares before and certainly was never woken by his dorm mates.

"You were screaming," Potter stated stupidly, staring hard at Draco which must have been difficult since he didn't have his glasses on. They has fallen off when he hit the wall. Draco looked down at the ground to see the glasses lying shattered in a mangled heap as Potter had fallen on them.

Without a word the glasses flew into his outstretched hand and immediately repaired themselves, looking as good as new. He handed them wordlessly to Potter who was now staring at him in astonishment.

"Er, thanks," Harry mumbled awkwardly, shoving the glasses on his face.

Silver and green connected together and locked and the room was silent for what seemed forever. Harry broke the silence, clearing his throat as he averted his eyes. "Er, yeah, well...um g'night then," he announced as he moved back over to his bed.

"Night Potter," Draco muttered and rolled back over, facing away from Potter his mind still a whirling from his dream. God, he hoped he hadn't talked in his sleep and clued Potter in on what he was dreaming about.

That snake faced bastard had been the star of his dreams ever since his inheritance. Draco bit his lip hard, not wanting to go back to sleep. Quietly he sat up and looked over at Potter and the other boy seemed to have fallen back to sleep. Softly he slipped out of bed and then out of the room. He shut the door silently behind him and peered into the darkness of the house. It reminded him a lot of Malfoy Manor, except how dirty it was. Even one speck of dust in their Manor and his mother would have the house elves heads.

He padded down the hallway exploring the dark and grim house. He traveled downstairs when he came upon an open door that was spilling light out onto the hallway. Curiously he poked his head through and saw a magnificent library. Every wall was covered in large and glorious, but dusty, bookshelves full to the brim of books.

The sound of a throat clearing startled Draco out of his amazement of the beautiful book haven around him. He turned around sharply to see in the far corner a pair of plush arm chairs sat, one occupied by Hermione.

"Do you need something?" Granger asked, her eyes calculating as she observed Draco. Her voiced was neither vicious nor was it friendly. She was testing the waters, seeing what kind of person Draco would present before her now.

Draco stared at her for a moment. She was in her pajamas, they were pink with white bunnies hopping across them. Her hair was frizzled and sticking out everywhere and she was surrounded in a pile of books.

"Couldn't sleep, decided to look around a bit, unless I'm a prisoner," Draco announced haughtily entering further into the room to show he was not afraid of her.

Hermione gave him a sort of half smile, laced with mischief. "Trust me Draco, if you were a prisoner, you would know."

Draco was stunned speechless for a good moment whether it was at this humorous side to Granger that had startled him or the way she used his first name. Hermione seemed to notice this as she noticed everything else.

"Yes, I've decided now that we live together we might as well use our given names, not this silly surname business. You can call me Hermione, or you can stick to Mudblood if you want," she shot at him, all friendliness in her tone gone, replaced by a cool voice laced with hurt.

Draco had the audacity to feel shame and guilt. He really was quite the brat in his day in the names he had called people, especially Hermione. He had always been jealous of her ability to concentrate, even in Binn's class. Her tendency to outshine him in every single subject, even Potions.

"I'm sorry, for what it's worth," it took every ounce of Draco's will to force those words out. He had always been taught never to admit defeat, never to be seen as weaker, and never to apologize. Of course he also been taught that everyone and everything was beneath him, especially muggleborns. Now he knew better, all those rules his father jammed down his throat were some bigots opinions, not a way to lead life. See where those opinions got his father, bowing to a psychopath, living every day in fear.

"It's worth something," Hermione answered after a while, staring again at Draco with that calculating look that unnerved him so. After a while she broke her gaze away back to her tower or books.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked curiously, stepping further into the room, examining the closest bookshelf for familiar titles.

"Researching you," Hermione answered bluntly causing Draco to look up suddenly at the frizzy haired witch.

"What?"

"Veelas. I'm researching male veelas," she explained with an amused grin. This sparked Draco's curiosity as while he was being held captive by the Dark Lord he was never allowed to openly research male Veelas. He was told certain things, small facts and tidbits that helped him manage some of his power but he had always felt the Dark Lord was holding back, not wanting Draco to see his full potential in case he were to rebel.

"Did you know Merlin was a male Veela?" Hermione offered picking up a large dusty tome. "That's why he was so powerful."  
"I didn't know that, actually, I don't know much about Veelas. I never had the chance to research it much," Draco told her with a yearning to pick her brain and found out what it really meant to be a male veela. He had heard of female veela of course. Frivolous creatures who preyed on weak willed men and lead them to their deaths or enslavement if they weren't careful.

Hermione titled her head to the seat next to her, offering it up to the blonde boy. Draco studied the girl for a moment and then hesitantly sat down. He had entertained the idea of refusing her help and looking up all the information on male Veelas alone but the library was huge and Draco had never been fond of research. So he sat down and stared at her expectantly. She gave a little half smirk and proceeded into a lecture.

"Well they seem to be descended from Sirens from Greek mythology though no one knows where they directly came from. Female veela are exceptionally beautiful and have the power to lure any man they want with just the sound of their voice. They're very seductive beings and though they make take many lovers in adolescence they have one true mate, as they call it. A soul mate that is the perfect match for them in all ways, physical, mental, and chemical. They're perfect partner, and once they find this person they will lay down their life for them," Hermione explained in a very matter of fact tone as she was reciting the passage she had just read without looking down at the book at all.

Draco had always wondered how Hermione had been able to provide spot on definitions of things in class that were directly from their text books. He had thought, as many others, that she locked herself in her room and read her books so many times that she memorized the passages by heart.

Now, it seems as though she had natural ability to glance over something and remember it verbatim. He had heard the muggles had a term for it, photographic memory or something like that.

"This is where their extremely powerful magic comes in. Their magic is a defense that they use to protect their mate. They have control over the four elements, fire, water, earth, and air. Female veelas usually have an affinity for using fire as it more temperamental than the other elements and female veelas can be quite rash and temperamental themselves," Hermione lectured with a scoff at the end. Clearly she didn't think much of female veelas.

"Male veelas are less frivolous then female veelas. Female veelas are content to spend their lives flaunting their beauty in front of males than using their powers for anything productive. Male veela have a larger store of power than female veelas though as they are more rare. Most veelas are known to have small amounts of healing power. Some veelas have even been known to have prophetic powers, there were at least three cases of female veelas who had predicted things and only one case of a male veela ever having prophetic powers," Hermione went on and Draco's mind swirled with all of this information. Mates. Soul mates. Element magic.

Merlin had been the last wizard known to have control over all the elements, it was a very difficult piece of magic that most didn't have the ability to control. Would Draco have a mate? Or would he be alone, searching endlessly for this soul mate he was supposed to have?

"Male veelas are quite a bit more feminine than normal males and usually take a male mate instead of a female mate," Hermione explained quickly, her cheeks growing pink as she touched on this delicate subject. Draco recoiled, most male veelas were...gay? He had never had a particular interest in girls, he had thought himself above such frivolous things as relationships and dating but he had certainly never been attracted to a boy before either! He felt himself color too.

"Most veelas are able to realize who there mate is quickly. Something in their body just seems to react to their mate, some sort of chemical reaction between the two. There have been cases though where it takes years and years to either find their mate or realize who your mate is. It has a lot to do with the maturity of the veela, if they're ready for such a commitment. A veela could know their mate their whole life but they won't know it until they're ready. When they do find their mate though, they're with them for life. There's never been a case of divorce or abandonment in veelas," Hermione finished off quietly.

"What happens if they _do_ leave their mate," Draco asked quickly. He didn't like the sound of being tied to someone for all of his life. He much preferred his freedom.

"That's never happened before, though I assume the veela would die. There have been cases where the veela's mate had died and out of grief the veela dies shortly after. I don't think a veela can live without their mate," Hermione answered sounding unsure. "This is all based on speculation of course," she reassured Draco quickly as he looked quite sick. All color had drained from his face and he was gripping the chairs arm rests quite severely, nails biting into the wood.

Would Draco find his mate? And if he did what if his mate didn't want him? What if his mate could never accept the fact that Draco was some cast off death eater, Voldemort's little pawn, his play thing, and escaped pet? Could his mate ever love him if they knew Draco had been defiled by the Dark Lord?

Draco gripped the chair harder, closing his eyes against the wetness of the tears that threatened to break loose. He struggled to gain control not wanting to break down in front of Granger.

"Malfoy," he could hear Granger's voice but it sounded strangely far away. There was a roaring in Draco's ears and he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Draco!" Granger's voice broke through as she reached out and enclosed a small hand around his wrist and Draco's eyes snapped open. Everything seemed to happen at once, vaguely Draco recognized that his powers had become agitated while he had been breaking down and there was a small wind storm circling the room, fluttering the pages of open books. The small windstorm turned into a monsoon as soon as Granger made contact with his skin. His magic exploded and Draco watched in horror as Granger was thrown backwards out of her chair and across the room. She landed with a dull thud, her head hitting the ground with a sickening sound.

Red flashed before Draco's eyes as he started to really panic. He rushed over to Granger's side, kneeling cautiously searching for any sign that she was still alive. Draco's whole body seemed to climb down one step on the anxiety ladder when he saw she was still breathing.

"Fuck, Merlin, Granger I'm so sorry," Draco intoned lowly as he saw a large gash on her forehead had started to weep blood. Without any hesitation, any rational thought really, Draco laid both of his pale white hands on Granger's forehead and the next thing he knew heat spread throughout his body like flames were flickering insides of him. All that heat inside of him traveled to his finger tips and he watched, entranced, as they started to glow. The heat lasted a few more seconds before slowly ebbing away and when Draco pulled his hands away Granger's forehead was healed completely, not even a scratch and she was waking up.

"Granger, I'm so sorry, Merlin, I'm sorry," Draco gasped out, his body shaking from all that left over adrenaline that had built up. Granger would tell the wolf and Potter what he had done and they would have him kicked out, thrown to the Dark Lord. Draco's body quivered with fear at the thought of being captured by the Dark Lord again, the punishment he would be given for escaping would be severe. He could already see Voldemort's red serpentine eyes glaring down at him as his cold fingers traveled down Draco's body...

"Draco!" Hermione called his name louder but she did not reach out and touch him. He snapped out of his thoughts and shuddered in revulsion as he tried to banished the Dark Lord's eyes from his mind.

"I'm sorry," Draco whispered shaken, not daring to meet Granger's eyes.

"Draco, please calm down. It's alright, I startled you and you don't have control over your powers yet. Please Draco, calm down. Everything will be alright," Granger reassured him in a soft tone and Draco looked up at her not believing what he was hearing. Her eyes were full of compassion and concern. She reached out again tentatively but second guessed herself again and laid her hands down in her lap.

"Y-you're not gonna kick me out?" Draco questioned suspiciously, hating that his voiced still held a tremble. He hated feeling weak in front of others, even if it was just Granger.

"No Draco, it's okay I'm not even hurt. You healed me with your magic," Granger assured Draco with a tentative smile. "Look we're both tired, why don't we talk more about male veelas in the morning, yeah?" she suggested softly seeing that Draco was entirely convinced. Draco nodded tiredly pulling himself off the floor and then helping Granger up.

"Goodnight, Draco," Granger chirped with a friendly smile. She seemed to have completely forgiven him for all the horrible things he had said and done while they had been at school. Draco couldn't fathom why she would forgive him. Honestly, Gryffindors were the strangest people.

"Night Granger," Draco replied gruffly heading for the door, exhaustion seeping over him. He felt like all the energy he just had had been drained from his bed.  
"Hermione," Granger said confusing Draco.

"What?"

"Call me Hermione. Like I said we're living together now, we need to stop with all this silly surname nonsense. You're not really that bad, maybe we could even be friends," she told him with a warm smile and something clenched in Draco's chest. He had never been offered such a warm invitation at friendship.

All his other friendships, if you could call them that, were based on what the other person could get out of Draco and what Draco could get out of them in return. Draco didn't have friends really, he had partners and allies. There was no one Draco could just come to talk or to spend time with. Goyle and Crabbe were just silent bodyguards, ordered by their father to stay close to Draco. Pansy was only interested in marrying into money.

"I would like that," Draco said cautiously after a while, the slight fear of rejection making him hold back. With that said he hurried from the room and slipped back into his and Potter's room. Potter was sound asleep, splayed out across his bed, mouth wide open, messy black hair contrasting with the white pillow.

Draco was about to climb into bed when he heard Potter make a sound of discomfort. Draco looked over and saw Potter squirm restlessly, his forehead screwed up as if he were in deep thought or deep distress. He made a pitiful whimper again and one of his hands came up to touch his scar that looked red and agitated.

Draco walked over slowly and silently. He leaned over Potter and touched two small fingers to Potter's scar trying to activate his healing powers once again as he did with Grang-Hermione. Slowly his body warmed and began to heat, his fingertips glowed bright white and then the glow ebbed away. When Draco pulled his hand away he saw Potter looked once again peaceful and relaxed. He made a soft noise, one you would hear from a small happy kitten. Draco stifled his laughter at the image of Harry Potter as a small black kitten and crawled back into his own bed and let fatigue and exhaustion take him.


End file.
